Metal column



D.v.c. BARRICK ET Al.

METAL COLUMN Filed March 18, 1925 Sept. 14 1926.

Patented Sept. l14, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD C.l BARRIGK, WILLIAM S. LANGENBACH, AND FREDERICK M ZINK, OF CAN- TON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNION METAL MANU- FACT'URING- COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

METAL coLUMNf Application led March 18, 1925. SerialNo. 16,395.

The invention relates to metal columns adapted for use as lamp standards, building columns and similar uses.

In a common form of standards now vin use, the lower end of the sheet metal column rests upon the top of the base, tie rods being connected to the top of the base and to the top of the column or capitol, and

anchor bars being connected to the top of the base and having their lower ends embedded'in the usual foundation, thus providing substantially a knuckle joint at the top of thbase.

It has been found by experience that when such a standard receives a sudden impact, as from a colliding automobile, the sheet metal column is usually collapsed at the point of impact, and the tie rods `are frequently broken or bent at the point of attachment to the base, causing a complete breakdown of the standard.

The objects of the present improvement are to provide a standard designed to overcome the above difiiculties, the structure including supporting bars within the column connected at their lower ends to the usual anchor bolts and extending above the top of the base and for a considerable distance into the sheet metal column, tie rods passing through the upper ends of said supporting bars and carrying a wedge member arranged to force the bars outward into contact with the inner surface of the sheet metal column to reinforce the same and place the column under tension; the tie rods being connected to the upper end of the column or capitol and arranged to be tightened from their upper ends to place the column underl compression; curved. reinforcing plates being provided for attachment to the supporting bars and arranged to be expanded into contact 'with the inner" Figure 1, is a vertical sectional view of a standard embodying the invention;

Fig. 2, an enlarged fragmentary section through the upper portion of the bas and the lower portion of the sheet metal column showing the improved supporting and reinforcing means therein;

gig. 3, a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, an

Fig. 4, a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 2.

The base 1 may be of cast iron and is arranged to be supported upon thel usual cement foundation 2, the upper end of the base having the seat 3 to support the usual iiuted sheet metal column or shaft 4, an annular upright flange 5 being formed upon the base to be received ,within the lower open end of thecolumn.

Two or more supporting bars Gare provided Within the base and extended into the lower portion of the column, four of these bars being preferably used in a single structure, as illustrated in the drawing. Each of these supporting bars may conform more or less to the interior shape of the base, at its lower end, and is preferably provided'with the inturned end 7 for connection to the usual` anchor bolts 8 carried by the cement foundation 2.

These supporting bars extend any desired distance above the upper end of the base, being preferably of sufficient height to reinforce the sheet metal column or shaft 4 against impact such as caused by a colliding automobile. The upper end of each supporting bar is provided with the inwardly -inclined surface 9 terminating in a substantially vertical portion l() having the angular inturned end 11 provided with a slot 12.

A curved plate 13, having an outer surface conforming to the fluted interior of the column 4, is preferably mounted upon the outer side 4of each of the supporting bars 6 and may be connected thereto in any suitable manner as by the screws 14. These plates 13 preferably extend from a point adjacent to the upper end of the base to the inclined portions 9 of the supporting bars "in order to reinforce the sheet metal column at the point most likely to be struck by a colliding vehicle.

The tie rods 15 are screw threaded at their lower ends as indicatedat 16 and each tie los 7 at a point spaced from its lower vend.l

The threaded lower end portions of the tie `b rods are extended through the slots 12 in the inturned upper ends of the supporting bars and through apertures 18 -in the wedge ring 19, nuts 20 being placed upon the lower ends of the tie rods to support the wedge ring thereon.

When thus assembled the shoulders' 17 upon the tie rods will rest uponthe upper ends of the supporting bars andthe wedge ring 19 will be suspended within the supporting bars at a point just below the inclined portions 9 thereof. At this point the sheet metal column or shaft 4 is placed in position upon the base, surrounding the tie rods 16 and the upper portions of the supporting bars, andthe capitol, indicated at 21, is placed upon the top of the sheet metal column, the upper threaded extremities 22 of the tie rods being passed through suitable apertures 23 in the capitol.

Nuts 24 are then placed upon the upper ends of the tie rods and tightened, drawing the wedge ring 19 upward, engaging the inclined surfaces 9 of the supporting bars and being finally seated against the upright portions 10 of the bars and inturned upper ends 11 thereof, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, expanding the supporting bar construction and forcing each bar outward toward the column, each of the curved plates 13 being forced outward against the inner surface of the fluted column, placing the same under lateral tension.

The sheet metal column is thus placed under longitudinal compression by means of the tie rods 16 and under lateral tension by means of the supporting bars and curved plates 13 being lforced outward by the wedge ring.

The nuts or shoulders 17 upon the lower portions of the tie rods are located a short distance above t e inturned ends 11 of the supporting bars preventing a complete breakdown of the standard in the event the column or base are injured, as the tie rods can only drop sufficiently to engage the shoulders 17 with the inturned upper endsv ,of the supporting bars.

The knuckle joint, at the -point of connection between the column and base, which is common in the usual form of metal standard now in general use,l is thuseliminated,

' and the sheet metal column is reinforced and strengthened to resist impacts at its lower portion, the force of a blow being transferred from the sheet metal column to the curved plates 13 and supporting bars, thus reventing the column lfromlbeing col lapsed. v

In the event that it is desirable to assemble the column upon the base before it is erected, lugs 25 may be provided upon the inturned flange 26 of the base to receive the inturned lower ends 7 of the supporting ars.

The column may thus be assembled upon the base and the tie rods tightened, placing the column under compression and tension as above described, and permitting the column and base-to be handled as a unit.

To erect the column, it is only necessary to'place the base upon the cement foundation, extending the upper ends of the anchor bolt 8 through suitable openings in the base flange 26 and inturned lower ends of the supporting bars, the nuts 27 being then placed upon the anchor bolts and tightened.

Since the base usually is provided with a door or removable plate, these anchor bolts and nuts are easily accessible for thus erecting the column.

1. A standard including a base, a tubular column mounted upon the base, a supporting structure within the base and eX- tended into the lower portion of the tubular -column and means for expanding the' sup- .bars within the base and extended into the lower end portion of the column, tie rods suspended from the upper end of the column and a wedge carried by the tie rods and arranged to force the supporting bars outward against the inner surface of the tubular column.

4:. A standard including a tubular column, a plurality of segmental plates mounted within the column and means for forcing the plates outward against the inner surface of the column.

5. A standard including a hollow base, a tubular column mounted thereon, supporting bars located within the base and extending into the lower portion of the tubular column and provided with inturned slotted ends. tie rods suspended from the top of the column and located through said slotted ends and a wedge carried by the tie rods for forcing the supporting bars outward against the interior of the column.

6. A'standard including a hollow base` a tubular column mounted thereon, supporting bars located within the base and exgtending into the lower portion of the tubularvcolumn and provided with inturned slotted ends, tie rods suspended from the top of the column and located thi'ough said slotted ends, a wedge carried by the tie rods for forcing the supporting bars outward against the interior of the column, and shoulders upon the lower portions of the tie rods and spaced from said wedge.

7. A standard including a hollow base, a tubular column mounted thereon, supporting bars located within the base and extending into the lower portion of the tubular column and provided with inturned slotted ends, tie rods suspended ,from the top of the column and located through said slotted ends, a wedge carried by the tie rods for forcing the supporting bars outward against the interior of the column, and segmental plates carried by the supporting bars for engagement with the inner surface of the column.

8. A standard including a hollow buse, a. tubular column mounted thereon, supporting bars located within the base and extending into the lower portion of the tubular co1- umn and provided with inturned slotted ends, tie rods suspended from the top of the column and located through said slotted ends, a wedge carried by the tie rods for forcing the supporting bars outward against the interior of the column, the upper portions of the supporting bars havingy inclined surfaces for engagement with the wedge.

In testimony that we claim the above, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

DONALD C. BARRICK. WILLIAM S. LANGENBACH. FREDERICK M. ZINK. 

